Budget to inject $97M into health research

Almost $100 million will go into funding health research over the next four years, the Government has announced.

In a pre-Budget announcement this afternoon, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said the $97 million will be channelled through the Health Research Council (HRC).

It'll increase funding by 56 percent over four years, from $77 million in 2015/16 to $120 million in 2019/2020.

"The HRC supports research that leads to improved health outcomes and more effective delivery of healthcare for New Zealanders, and research that brings economic gains for New Zealand," Mr Joyce says.

Alongside today's announcement, the Government also released a discussion document to help develop a new health research strategy.